Two kinds of spelling errors are found in records and indexes. One kind of error is made when the transcriber or indexer misreads the original or mistypes the index entry. The other kind of error is made when the creator of the records misspells the name in the original record.

Two kinds of spelling errors are found in records and indexes. One kind of error is made when the transcriber or indexer misreads the original or mistypes the index entry. The other kind of error is made when the creator of the records misspells the name in the original record.

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== Commonly Misread Letters Table ==

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== Commonly Misread Letters Table ==

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The following table<sup>1</sup> shows how indexers and transcribers sometimes misread handwriting. The column on the left shows the actual spelling. The column on the right shows what the indexer or transcriber sometimes thought he or she saw. The mistakes are given in order of probability. Bold mistakes are especially common.

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The following table<sup>1</sup> shows how indexers and transcribers sometimes misread handwriting. The column on the left shows the actual spelling. The column on the right shows what the indexer or transcriber sometimes thought he or she saw. The mistakes are given in order of probability. Bold mistakes are especially common.

Revision as of 16:16, 28 July 2008

Two kinds of spelling errors are found in records and indexes. One kind of error is made when the transcriber or indexer misreads the original or mistypes the index entry. The other kind of error is made when the creator of the records misspells the name in the original record.

Commonly Misread Letters Table

The following table1 shows how indexers and transcribers sometimes misread handwriting. The column on the left shows the actual spelling. The column on the right shows what the indexer or transcriber sometimes thought he or she saw. The mistakes are given in order of probability. Bold mistakes are especially common.

Intended

Common Mistakes

Intended

Common Mistakes

A

H, C, O

a

o, u, ei, ie, n, w

B

R, P, S

b

li, le, t, h, l

C

G, E, O, Ce

c

e, i, o, u

D

G, S, I, J, T, Ir

d

u, a, n, ie, ei, ee, ct, o

E

C, G, Ee

e

i,c

ee

u, n, ll, a o, ie, ei, w

F

T, S, G, Ti, L

f

s, j, g, q, t

G

S, Q, Z, Ci, L, Se, ls

g

y, z, q, f

H

N, W, He, Sl, St, A, F

h

K, li, lc, le

I

J, L, S, Q, F, T

i

e, c, l

ie

ei, u, ee, n, a, o, w, il

J

I, L S, Q, F, T, P, Jno, Mr, Mo

j

y, g, f, q, z

K

H, R, B, tr, te

k

h, le, lr, te, R, B, H

L

S, T, F

l

e, i, t

ll

tt, ee, u, a, o, ie, ei

M

W, H, N, A, Al, Me

m

w, rr, ni, in, iv, ev, ai, ui, iu

N

H, W, V, St, Ne

n

u, a, o, ee, ie, ei, w, m

O

C, U, V, D

o

a, u, n, ee, ll, ie, ei, tt

P

R, B, I, J, S, L

p

ss, g, js, k, f, fs, fa, fi, fr

Q

Z, D, I, J, G, C

q

g, y, z, f, ej, ij, j

R

Pi, B, S, Pe, Pr, Re

r

e, s, i, ei, a

S

L, I, J, St, Se, F, G, R, T

s

r, i, e, c

sc

x

ss

fs, p, rr, w, m, n

T

F, S, L, D, Q

t

l, f, lr, i

te

k

tt

ll

U

V, A, O, N, H

u

ee, a, o, n, ie, ei, ll, w

V

N, W, Ir, Jr, B

v

u, n, b, rr, s, r, o, ee, ei

W

M, N, U, H, St

w

m, rr, ur, nr, ui, ni, eu, en

X

H, Z, N, J

x

sc, c, r

Y

T, F, Z, Q

y

g, q, j, z, p, ej, ij, if

Z

G, Q, Y

z

g, q, y, j, p

Phonetic Substitutes Table2

The creator of the record sometimes misspelled the name in the original record because he or she misunderstood what the informant said. This happened very often when the informant came from another country. Also, many people were illiterate and did not know how to spell their names. The creator of the record spelled the name the way he or she thought it should be spelled.